Sonam Wangchuk
Awards & Honours
5
Awards Won
3
Honours
2
Records
Sonam Wangchuk's accolades reflect his singular blend of engineering, education, and environmental activism. The Ramon Magsaysay Award (2018) recognized his 'Himalayan ingenuity' in creating scalable, community-driven solutions. The Padma Shri (2024) placed him among India's most honored citizens. His Global Award for Sustainable Architecture (2017) highlighted the SECMOL campus as a model of eco-design. These honors are not just personal triumphs, they have amplified the visibility of Ladakh's challenges and inspired a new generation of grassroots innovators across the Himalayas.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
Padma Shri
India's fourth-highest civilian award for social work.
Rolex Awards for Enterprise
Awarded for the Ice Stupa project in the Environment category.
UNESCO Chair in Ecopolis and Sustainable Living
Conferred to SECMOL campus for its contribution to sustainable development.
Records & Feats
First Ice Stupa built at 3,500 meters altitude
Wangchuk successfully built the first Ice Stupa in Ladakh at an altitude of 3,500 meters, demonstrating its viability in extreme conditions.
Largest artificial glacier by volume (Ice Stupa)
In 2019, Wangchuk's team built an Ice Stupa holding 15 million liters of water, one of the largest man-made glaciers.